Growing up in East Oakland, Damian Lillard‘s childhood was highlighted by day-to-day struggles and the dangers of high-level violence in Brookfield Village. While he thankfully had an anchoring family environment, which was supportive and loving, Dame battled the everyday realities of drugs and street violence.
Dame often credits his mother, Gina and his extended family for keeping him grounded and safe, where he learned how to work hard and navigate right from wrong through strict family discipline. With that, the tightly bonded family protected each other from various dangers.
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Due to a lack of proper infrastructure, Lillard’s early basketball journey was entirely improvised. He infamously practiced his shooting touch by aiming through a curved, low-hanging tree branch in front of his grandmother’s house. Later, when the city cut down the same tree, Dame’s father built a bottomless milk crate hoop on a telephone pole so he could continue practicing.
With his persistence and competitive spirit, Lillard would later improve his game during his teenage years after battling grown men in midnight basketball games at Brookfield Park. Through his high school dominance at Oakland High School and later in college, where he played for Weber State, Dame would successfully transition to the NBA.
However, after leaving for Portland to play for the Trail Blazers, nothing was the same for his hometown.
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“Home is not what it was anymore”
Since Lillard was a boy hooping on the streets of Brookfield, the city had gone through massive change. For a long time, Oakland was known as a diverse, open-armed place for African Americans. But during Dame’s absence, a rise in private units, bohemian restaurants, and facilities, along with overall expansion, led to a drop in the Black population.
“Every time I go home, it looks a little different,” said Lillard. “I told someone the other day, ‘Home is not what it was anymore.’ It takes away from the feeling of our neighborhood.”
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Over the last few decades, Oakland has undergone one of the largest demographic changes in America. The city’s population has dipped significantly, reaching a historically low 22 percent in recent years, down from 43 percent in 1990.
One of the biggest, if not the biggest, reasons was the large influx of tech investments in the Bay Area, which drastically drove up housing prices and the overall cost of living. As a result, working-class families looked for a way out.
With that, Black-owned businesses and community hubs were replaced, shifting the Lillard’s neighborhood and the city’s identity.
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Related: Jalen Brunson offers blunt assessment of his NBA Finals performance: “Subpar”
Dame always gives back to the community
To help address that issue and support the people from where he grew up, Lillard has consistently poured millions of dollars into Oakland. Not only is he supportive financially through education pipelines, safety and sports, but also in time, making sure he attends every community event and observes its trajectory.
In partnership with Portland State University, Dame created life-changing educational access by awarding $25,000 scholarships for four years to students graduating from nine East Bay high schools to cover out-of-state tuition. Lillard’s personal financial incentives make sure the scholarships cover food, housing, clothing, textbooks, and transportation to and from home.
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With his partner, Adidas, Lillard funded massive renovations of the same gym where he played as a child, the Brookfield Park Recreation Center. Dame made sure children didn’t lack state-of-the-art sports equipment, as he did when he was growing up.
Through Team Lillard, his annual AAU program, Dame ensures overlooked Bay Area athletes get a platform to attract scouts’ attention, and he hosts training camps where he gives away gear and equipment for the boys’ and girls’ athletic programs at Lillard’s Oakland High School.
A cherry on top is the massive local picnics Lillard has hosted for years at Brookfield Park in his community, featuring free food, live music, and games for families, where children can openly interact with Dame as he attends every event.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.